Kucinich and Paul Tag Team Floor Debate on “Obsessed-with-Iran Legislation”

“Is the U.S. Closer to a War of Choice?”

Washington D.C. (August 1, 2012) – Congressmen Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) and Ron Paul (R-TX) took to the House Floor to stand in bipartisan opposition to legislation that would expand broad and indiscriminate sanctions on Iran. Congressman Paul called the House “obsessed” with a weapon that doesn’t exist, while Congressman Kucinich argued that the legislation would drive the United States closer to another unnecessary war.

“This bill effectively states that sanctions on Iran’s central bank would not be lifted unless there is regime change… Sanctions are a form of war and they will lead to war. Some time ago we were talking ‘IF Iran would have a nuclear weapon.’ But then the bar was lowered to say ‘nuclear weapon capability.’ And now the game is being changed to say not just nuclear weapon capability, but we want regime change as well?

“If this isn't a prescription for war, then I didn't participate in the debate in this House of Representatives in October of 2002 warning this Congress, chapter and verse, that Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction, no role with Al Qaeda in 9/11, and did not have any intention or capability of attacking the United States. This is a version of that debate all over again,” said Kucinich.

Congressman Paul added, “I think this bill would be better named if we called it ‘Obsession with Iran Act, 2012.’ This is what we are continuing to do, obsessing with Iran and the idea that Iran is a threat to our national security. Iran happens to be a third world nation. They have no significant navy, air force or intercontinental ballistic missiles. The IAEA and CIA said they are not on the verge of a nuclear weapon.”

H.R. 1905, the Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act of 2012 expands current sanctions on Iran, which will harm the Iranian economy, further hurt ordinary Iranians, prevent access to basic medicine and undermine any negotiated solution with Iran. Section 217 of the bill effectively creates a policy of regime change by prohibiting the lifting of sanctions on Iran’s central bank and other financial institutions until the current regime is no longer in place.